Sorry I do not understand why you think these cases get damaged I have been using Samsung flip cases for years with no issues 🙂
I agree if you are a dare devil and go naked 🙂 with 1-2k phone then sure anything is bulky but for many its a no brainier option and the fact that the Fold 3 silo is removable just opens scenarios to suit all but the minimalists
Just look at how many tablets Ipads etc have been sold over the years, far more than the Note, If there was a demand for integrated silo and bundled pen it would of been adopted years ago, the bottom line is consumers are generally not steering this with their wallets
This silo issue is just a minority nit picking IMO in the face of moving forward on so many other points and the same on USC
Quite frankly I am fed up with these one sided stance on reviews, where are the demerits because Iphone and others do not have stylus etc etc, sorry but commentary must be level based and not one sided perspective taken by many reviewers 🙂
Because there is a significant amount of the case exposed without being backed by phone or anything solid, that's when the phone is open as pictured below. I'm not sure what material the case is made out of, but either it will be flimsy and will bend, or will be sturdy and it will break. I'm not saying that will happen to you in particular, I'm sure if you are careful with your phones and cases you will be ok. But personally that case, in particular the front cover, would never survive with my usage. What Samsung should have done was simply provide a fold in that front cover and magnetized the cover so the folded part would stay put, that would put it out of the way. I'm definitely open to be corrected here as I don't have a case in hand, but it sure looks like that front cover doesn't fold, well fold on purpose at least.
I hear you on the silo thing, I don't disagree, but I think it's just one of those things that consumers appreciate but probably don't care enough to get riled up over. My first windows tablet was a Samsug tablet, this was one of the very first true windows tablets with the mobile cpu's, that had a wacom passive pen in a silo that was just a tiny bit larger than the Note series. I remember it well because it worked with my Note at the time and I could use either pen with either device, now that was true convenience. It still eludes me why a pen silo isn't more valued, I would theorize that it's because there are 2 types of travelers. One brings a bag with them, and can put all kinds of stuff into the bag such as chargers and pens, so for them it's not an issue. The 2nd traveler just doesn't use the pen very much and doesn't care if it doesn't get brought along. Unfortunately I'm right in the middle where I'm a frequent traveler, but often don't have a bag, but do highly value bringing a pen with me. I can stick it into a pocket but then I have to worry about it breaking in half when I sit down, and frequently putting it into and out of my pocket if I'm trying to take notes while moving about room to room in a hospital, just as one example. With a silo it's just there, pop it out, use it, and put it right back where it belongs. For the active pens that need charging the case scenario is that much more compelling in that it will always be charged up for use. That's actually another point, having to plug the pen in every night if I use it a lot, well there's another charging cable/brick and remembering to actually do it (if I can even find an outlet).
As much as I agree with you otherwise, I just don't see that MKBHD as one sided at all, I also don't see the Apple bias many think he has. It's a very fair review that to me was VERY favorable towards the Fold series and what's the series is trying to accomplish.